Glen Sheil
Encyclopedia
Glenister Fermoy Sheil (21 October 1929 – 29 September 2008) was an Australia
n politician, representing the National Party
in the Senate
for the state of Queensland
from 1974 to 1981, and again from 1984 to 1990.
Glen Sheil was born in Sydney
and moved to Queensland at a young age. He attended The Southport School
on the Gold Coast
and studied medicine at the University of Queensland
, after which he was a medical practitioner. He also owned the Dungarvan Private Hospital in Brisbane
.
He was elected to the Senate at the 1974 election
, taking his seat immediately on 18 May because the election followed a double dissolution. In an early parliamentary speech, he read the Lord's Prayer
in nine South Africa
n languages. He was re-elected in 1975
.
After the 1977 election
, Malcolm Fraser
announced the make-up of the new ministry that he would be recommending to the Governor-General
. Sheil was to be Minister for Veterans' Affairs
. This announcement was made at 5 p.m. on 19 December 1977. On 20 December he was sworn as a member of the Federal Executive Council
, a constitutional pre-requisite for appointment as a minister. That same day, in an interview on ABC Radio
, he professed his support for the South African apartheid system, which was very much at odds with the Fraser government’s position. Fraser decided not to proceed with Sheil's appointment to the ministry. In a very rare move, he advised the Governor-General, Sir Zelman Cowen
, to terminate Sheil's appointment as an Executive Councillor (such appointments are normally for life). Cowen was required by convention to act on the Prime Minister's advice, and the termination occurred at midday on 21 December.
This was widely described as "the shortest ministerial career in Australia's history". In fact, Sheil was never a minister at all, but he was a member of the Executive Council for two days, during which time he was entitled to be known as "Senator the Hon
Glenister Sheil".
On 6 February 1981 he resigned from the Senate to contest a by-election for the House of Representatives
seat of McPherson
; he was defeated by Liberal Party
candidate Peter White
. The casual vacancy caused by his resignation was filled by Florence Bjelke-Petersen, the wife of the then Premier of Queensland, Joh Bjelke-Petersen
.
At the 1984 election on 1 December, he was re-elected to the Senate, again taking his seat immediately because the Senate was being increased from 64 to 76 members. He was defeated at the 1990 election, his term expiring on 30 June 1990.
Glen Sheil led the delegation of Queenslanders For a Constitutional Monarchy at the 1998 Constitutional Convention. He was also active in tennis
, rugby
and cricket
in Queensland.
He was known as "Thumpa", a nickname from a rabbit
-farming company he part-owned.
He died in 2008.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n politician, representing the National Party
National Party of Australia
The National Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Traditionally representing graziers, farmers and rural voters generally, it began as the The Country Party, but adopted the name The National Country Party in 1975, changed to The National Party of Australia in 1982. The party is...
in the Senate
Australian Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation. Senators are elected for a term that is usually six years; after a double dissolution, however,...
for the state of Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
from 1974 to 1981, and again from 1984 to 1990.
Glen Sheil was born in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
and moved to Queensland at a young age. He attended The Southport School
The Southport School
The Southport School , is an independent, Anglican, day and boarding school for boys, located in Southport, a suburb on the Gold Coast of Queensland, Australia....
on the Gold Coast
Gold Coast, Queensland
Gold Coast is a coastal city of Australia located in South East Queensland, 94km south of the state capital Brisbane. With a population approximately 540,000 in 2010, it is the second most populous city in the state, the sixth most populous city in the country, and also the most populous...
and studied medicine at the University of Queensland
University of Queensland
The University of Queensland, also known as UQ, is a public university located in state of Queensland, Australia. Founded in 1909, it is the oldest and largest university in Queensland and the fifth oldest in the nation...
, after which he was a medical practitioner. He also owned the Dungarvan Private Hospital in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
.
He was elected to the Senate at the 1974 election
Australian federal election, 1974
Federal elections were held in Australia on 18 May 1974. All 127 seats in the House of Representatives, and all 60 seats in the Senate were up for election, due to a double dissolution...
, taking his seat immediately on 18 May because the election followed a double dissolution. In an early parliamentary speech, he read the Lord's Prayer
Lord's Prayer
The Lord's Prayer is a central prayer in Christianity. In the New Testament of the Christian Bible, it appears in two forms: in the Gospel of Matthew as part of the discourse on ostentation in the Sermon on the Mount, and in the Gospel of Luke, which records Jesus being approached by "one of his...
in nine South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n languages. He was re-elected in 1975
Australian federal election, 1975
Federal elections were held in Australia on 13 December 1975. All 127 seats in the House of Representatives, and all 64 seats in the Senate were up for election following a double dissolution of both Houses....
.
After the 1977 election
Australian federal election, 1977
Federal elections were held in Australia on 10 December 1977. All 124 seats in the House of Representatives, and 34 of the 64 seats in the Senate, were up for election....
, Malcolm Fraser
Malcolm Fraser
John Malcolm Fraser AC, CH, GCL, PC is a former Australian Liberal Party politician who was the 22nd Prime Minister of Australia. He came to power in the 1975 election following the dismissal of the Whitlam Labor government, in which he played a key role...
announced the make-up of the new ministry that he would be recommending to the Governor-General
Governor-General of Australia
The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia is the representative in Australia at federal/national level of the Australian monarch . He or she exercises the supreme executive power of the Commonwealth...
. Sheil was to be Minister for Veterans' Affairs
Minister for Veterans' Affairs (Australia)
The Australian Minister for Veterans' Affairs oversees income support, compensation, care and commemoration programs for more than 400,000 veterans and their widows, widowers and dependants....
. This announcement was made at 5 p.m. on 19 December 1977. On 20 December he was sworn as a member of the Federal Executive Council
Federal Executive Council
The Federal Executive Council is the formal body holding executive authority under the Constitution of Australia. It is equivalent to the other Executive Councils in other Commonwealth Realms such as the Executive Council of New Zealand and is equivalent to the Privy councils in Canada and the...
, a constitutional pre-requisite for appointment as a minister. That same day, in an interview on ABC Radio
ABC Radio and Regional Content
ABC Radio and Regional Content is the division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation responsible for radio output and regional content.-Origins:...
, he professed his support for the South African apartheid system, which was very much at odds with the Fraser government’s position. Fraser decided not to proceed with Sheil's appointment to the ministry. In a very rare move, he advised the Governor-General, Sir Zelman Cowen
Zelman Cowen
Sir Zelman Cowen, was the 19th Governor-General of Australia. He is currently the oldest living former Governor-General of Australia.-Early life:...
, to terminate Sheil's appointment as an Executive Councillor (such appointments are normally for life). Cowen was required by convention to act on the Prime Minister's advice, and the termination occurred at midday on 21 December.
This was widely described as "the shortest ministerial career in Australia's history". In fact, Sheil was never a minister at all, but he was a member of the Executive Council for two days, during which time he was entitled to be known as "Senator the Hon
The Honourable
The prefix The Honourable or The Honorable is a style used before the names of certain classes of persons. It is considered an honorific styling.-International diplomacy:...
Glenister Sheil".
On 6 February 1981 he resigned from the Senate to contest a by-election for the House of Representatives
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
seat of McPherson
Division of McPherson
The Division of McPherson is an Australian Electoral Division in Queensland. The division was created in 1948 and is named for the McPherson Range, which forms one of the divisional boundaries...
; he was defeated by Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
candidate Peter White
Peter White (Australian politician)
Peter Nicholson Duckett White was an Australian politician. Born in Brisbane, he was educated at Duntroon Military College and the Australian National University in Canberra before serving in the military from 1954 to 1975. In 1977, he was elected to the Queensland Legislative Assembly as the...
. The casual vacancy caused by his resignation was filled by Florence Bjelke-Petersen, the wife of the then Premier of Queensland, Joh Bjelke-Petersen
Joh Bjelke-Petersen
Sir Johannes "Joh" Bjelke-Petersen, KCMG , was an Australian politician. He was the longest-serving and longest-lived Premier of Queensland, holding office from 1968 to 1987, a period that saw considerable economic development in the state...
.
At the 1984 election on 1 December, he was re-elected to the Senate, again taking his seat immediately because the Senate was being increased from 64 to 76 members. He was defeated at the 1990 election, his term expiring on 30 June 1990.
Glen Sheil led the delegation of Queenslanders For a Constitutional Monarchy at the 1998 Constitutional Convention. He was also active in tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, rugby
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
and cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
in Queensland.
He was known as "Thumpa", a nickname from a rabbit
Rabbit
Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world...
-farming company he part-owned.
He died in 2008.
External links
- Sydney Morning Herald, "Former senator Sheil dies aged 79", 6 October 2008
- ABC: Former Qld Nationals senator Sheil dies
- Queenslanders for Constitutional Monarchy
- Portrait of Dr Glenister Sheil taken at the Constitutional Convention, Canberra, 2-13 February 1998
- ATO: Sheil v. Federal Commissioner of Taxation
- Alan Ramsay, SMH, 19 May 2004, Both gems and duds in a truly vintage year
- News.com.au. 1 January 2008, "Keating, Howard debut on political stage"
- Bookfinder.com